KOTA KINABALU, Oct 19 — Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) will carry out the installation of a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 100MW as a short-term solution to the power supply issue in the state, said its chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.
He said the matter had been approved by the Energy Commission (ST) and it was an important backup measure to meet the high demand for electricity during peak hours and when the supply system experienced failure.
“Sabah is the only region in Malaysia that still implements rationing of electricity supply. This situation occurs because of the low existing generation capacity, with a reserve margin below 12 per cent.
“SESB hopes that the Electricity Supply and Tariff Planning and Implementation Committee Sabah meeting (JPPPET), will consider ST’s decision for the sake of the common good and well-being,” he said in a statement today.
Reserve margin is a stock of electricity for emergency use, particularly in the event of a system malfunction or during high demand that exceeds normal consumption.
Madius said SESB also planned to build a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power generator with a capacity of 700MW to solve electricity supply problems in Sabah.
He said the power generator, which would be fully owned by SESB, would be built under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“The generation of 700MW of electricity supply will be operated using gas. This is an essential step in stabilising the electricity supply in Sabah,” he said.
For that purpose, Madius said SESB requested that Petronas supply gas at a rate of RM15/mmBTU.
He also hoped that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim would include the plan on the agenda of discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping in his series of visits to the country in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Malaysia diplomatic ties next year. — Bernama
